This invention relates to improvements in and relating to the keyless steering shaft locks.
With this kind of keyless lock, the steering shaft of an automotive vehicle is unlocked automatically so to speak, upon manual depression of a plurality of push buttons in predetermined order by the vehicle driver who can then turn manually the steering shaft as he may desire.
With use of this kind of modernized keyless steering shaft lock arrangement, caution must be paid, however, to prevent the shaft lock operation from occurrence, indeed, during the engine running or the vehicle running.
Further, in the button switch-controled, keyless steering lock arrangement, grave caution must be had against unintentional shaft-locking operation during engine running and caused by a careless depression of the controlling push buttons by the driver.
When the operating motor included in the steering shaft arrangement adapted for bringing a locking bar to its shaft locking position or for returning it in the reverse order, is of the unidirectional type, and not of the reversible type, a grave malfunction of the locking mechanism could be invited, if an unlocking signal be again generated by accident during the unlocking stage of the mechanism, the latter could be locked back, or vice versa.
Still further, as is highly well known, the engine ignition circuit is generally includes an accessory circuit. When the button-controlled steering lock arrangement is fitted to an automotive vehicle, the vehicle driver must operate a control switch for the ignition circuit separately from manipulation of push buttons for the steering lock arrangement. This kind of operation is somewhat troublesome.